Question

After placing a tourniquet on a patient's arm, a phlebotomist notices small red dots below the tourniquet. What term describes these spots?

Answer 1

The small red dots seen under a tourniquet during a blood draw are known as petechiae, which are caused by blood leaking from damaged capillaries.

Step-by-step explanation:

The small red dots observed by the phlebotomist beneath the tourniquet are referred to as petechiae. Petechiae are small red or purple spots on the skin that are caused by blood leaking out of damaged vessels. In the context of phlebotomy, applying a tourniquet with too much pressure can cause capillaries below the tourniquet to burst, resulting in the formation of these spots.